Prevention of Cataract in the Progeny of Rats Fed a Maternal Diet Based on Vegetable Proteins

Abstract

Each of the four nutrients found to be associated with a protection against congenital cataract formation in this study has been implicated previously as being necessary for normal lens health and development. Ferguson, Atkinson and Couch (4), and Ferguson, Rigdon and Couch (5) described a cloudiness in the central portion of the lens in embryos from eggs laid by turkey hens fed an all vegetable protein diet without added vitamin E. The diet consisted of soybean oil meal, ground yellow corn and ground milo with supplements of minerals and selected vitamins. Associated with the lens disorder was a high embryonic mortality. Supplementation with α-tocopheryl acetate (20 mg/lb) prevented the eye anomalies and restored normal hatchability rates. In mammals, a deficiency of vitamin E has been associated with resorption of the young. We have been able to find only two reports (6, 7) where eye abnormalities were reported as a consequence of a low intake of vitamin E by rats during gestation and in neither case were cataracts specifically noted.